Ohio bill seeks transparency from private police

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Two Ohio lawmakers think arrest and crime reports by police at private universities and hospitals should be made public.

A House bill proposed Wednesday would make private police forces — including at 17 nonprofit hospitals and 16 private universities in the state — subject to Ohio's public-records laws.

The Columbus Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1c6oSto ) reports that more than 800 privately employed police officers in Ohio are authorized by the state to carry handguns and make arrests, but they're not required to provide records to the public. Critics say they should have the same transparency and accountability demanded of government police departments.